Method of sound production.



GQPY F. 81 MUCKEY.

METHOD OF SOUND PRODUCTION. APPLICATION 111511 MAY 5L I914. unzwto KDVHII. 1919,

1,236,969, r Patented 411 14, 1917.

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j 3 3 I an'o fo -acq 1 1 1 5 1 F. MUCKEY. METHOD OF SOUND PRODUCTION. I APPLICATION FILED MAY 5. 1914-. RENEWED NOV- Ill 191,6.

Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

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FLOYD S. MUCKEY, OI NEW YORK, N. Y.. ASSIGNOR-TO MUCKEY PATENTS CORPORATION, v

. A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

METHOD OF SOUND PBODIl'CTION.

Application filed May 5, 1914, Serial No. 836,445.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FLOYD S. Mooney, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York,

have invented a new and useful Improvement in Methods of Sound Production, of

which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. 1

My invent on relates to improvements in a method .of recording, producing and reproducing sounds, and more particularly the recording, the production and reproduction of musical tones. After a long and very careful study of manyof the voices of singers and of the tones of musical instruments, by photographic analyses, I have found that. pleasing tones are obtained where there is a strong fundamental tone and where the overtones are diminished in intensity The sensationsv produced upon the car by the sound production of any mu sical instrument consist of first, that series of partial tones which the particular vibrator originates, and second, sound other than. the above mentioned partial tones. The second are undesirable sounds. Very high and strong partial tones are also classified as undesirable. If the desired partial tones, especially the fundamental and lower overtones are amplified and the undesirable sounds are subordinated to such an extent that they are not noticeable, then a good tone quality is obtained. My efforts have been along this line, and the object of my method is to produce this good quality of tone by amplifyingand strengthening the desired partial tones to their proper intensity through resonance, and suppress or subordinate the undesirable sounds. I have found that this can be accomplished if, for example, a resonance chamber is shaped so as to provide substantial reinforcement for the desired partial tones, and if the walls are shaped toward the outlet so as to grad ually merge and condense the sound waves contiguous to or as they leave the outlet. For example, a sound box for graphophones and like instruments constructed in accordance with my ideas provides a substantial Specification of Letters ratent. Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

Renewed November 11, 1910. Serial No. 130,910.

resonating chamber in which the sound waves of the fundamental and lower over-- tones are amplified and reinforced 'in their proper relation to good quality and .the

sound box is made so as to gradually deflect and transmit the same to the outlet without substantial reflection back toward'the-inlet,

whereby harmful interference is prevented.

In such a device as the sound box above described the desired partialtones are rei'nthat inorder to secure the best use of.reso- I 7 sound waves should occur contiguous to the nance, the condensation or mergingof the outlet, and remote from the inlet.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views. 1

Figure 1 is a lon itudinal section of a double sound box cm odying my invention and adapted to carry out my improved method. T

Fig. 2 is an end view of the shown in Fig. l. i

Fig; 3 is an end view of a single sound box and diaphragm.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the,

structure .structureshown in Fig. 3 and also shows? diagrammatically the relatlve intensities of:

the different sound waves set up by the diaphragm.

Fig. 5 is a diagram or chart of the partial tones produced by the voice or by stringed instruments.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged diagrammatic view showing the courscot the sound waves through the sound box.

The chart or diagram shownin Fig. is drawn to represent the, fundamental and overtones of stringed instruments and the voice and while the chart may not be accurate it will serve to bring out the theory of my inventit'inp. it will be noted that the sound waves of the fundamtaital tone which 1 have marked t," are strong and long, and I have .found from a careful study that in the best voices and the best musical tones this fundamental tone strongly predominates. The first overtone which I have marked C? is the, most harmonic interval and it will be seen thatthis sound Wave is also .stro'irg but less so than the fundamental tone. The third partial tone which is (i and is the second overtone is the next most harmonic interval, and it will be observed that this wave shorter and less strong than that of the fir t overtone, and so through the several gradations it will be observed that the sound waves become shorter and relatively weaker until at the eighth and ninth overtones the sound waves which at this point represent tonesof extremely high pitch are very short and comparatively weak.

For example, in Fig. l, I have shown a double sound box having the desired shape. In this (use a diaphragm 10 having a stylus ll, is used, and the diaphragm is held by a suitable, ring 13. The peculiar curve of the sound ho); It will be noted, and I have found it desirable to provide a substantial l'lrUlliilN'C chamber the walls 14: of which form an interiorly concave-convex curve whi h terminates .when the convex curve takes a -.'lirection which is perpemlicnlar to the diaphragnn It will be noticed that the wall ll of the. sound box curves outward and gradually inward 'to about the point a, when it become; less sharp but still curves inward as at. and finallyoutward as at c to the outlet 15. instead of having a sound box double it can be used single as in Fig. l, the -hape being precisely the same except that one end of the sound box is left off. v

efi-rrine to l 'ie 4 the relative sound wave intensities arodiagrannnatically reprented the de ir d partial tones are shown as 16 whil the sound wave intensities of the undesirable sounds arc represented by the nunu-ral l7.

'lhe general course of the sound waves throng the. sound b'igx will be understood by rcfvren 'e to llif', llji iglillfllllillilfi view in i ig. 6. it will be seen that many oi. the sound wa es are. deflected and merged or llere the strong waves representing; 7

.Bnsr mam s new condensed contiguous to the outlet while relatively few are linally reflected back toward the inlet whi h baeluvard reflection I shall hereinafter term countor-reflection. 5y referring to this figure it will be noticed that the, several sound waves are numbered and indicated by arrows, so that the points where they strike the wall of the sound box and the paths of their deflections are noted. This diagram is drawn with scientific accuracy, and it will be seen that practically all the sound waves are condensed at or near the outlet. This condensation of the sound waves is essential to resonance which is the important factor in the production of ood volume and quality.

l rom the foregoing description it will be seen that l have devised a. method of sound production, which First, provides a substantial resonance cavity with a restricted outlet for reinforcing the desired partial tones of any complex sound and thus insures the best possible quality and volume of tone.

Second, provides a resonance chamber which while affording a substantial resonance cavity to reinforce the desired partial tones deflects the :.'.nnid'w:u'es toward the outlet in such a manner that only a small percentage of them return toward the inlet to cause interference with volume and quality.

'lhird, provides a resonance chamber which condenses the sound waves in or contiguous to the outlet and remote from the inlet. Havingdescribed my invention, lclaim:

l. 'lhc method of sound production com prising: the origination of composite sounds, rein lorcuig the fundamental and lower overtones thereof. with the greatestintensity, by

contiguous to the. outlet without substantial colinter-reflection, whereby harmful interference is prevented.

ii. The method of sound production com .-risin the nl'l; lll;lllHH of composite, tones, reinfor ing" the fluidaniental and lowerover- (ones y .l l't-solullnw' chamber so that the, fundanu-ntal lone \\ill predominate and the overtones lusuborrlilniled. and condensing the reinfor ed sound waves contiguous to the oulh-f without substantial counterweliertion, whereby the greatest resonance is provided; for the production of good volume tiguous to the outlet without substantial and good quality. counter-reflection, and discharging the tones 10' 4. Thehmethod of sourid PIOdllCtiOll COglimmediately after the same are reinforced. risin t e ori ination ocom osite soun s,

5 einfocing the fundamentulux l lower over- I FLOYD MUCKEY' tones with the greatest; intensity by a reso- Witnesses:

nance chamber, thereby subordinating .the WARREN B. HU'rcmNsoN,

higher overtones; condensing the same con- FRANK S. Arm-emu. 

